Category: Roadsters 
Price Range: £13,515 to £17,290
Highly entertaining, cute looks, durable construction, great handling, versatile roof, cheap to run, a cult car.
Slow sequential gearshift, poor rear visibility in Coupe, soft throttle response, power steering lacks feel, poor panel fit, small boot, expensive for what it is.
An exotic-looking car at a reasonable price and a hoot to drive. But there are compromises and the prices are high for such a small-engined vehicle.
No sports car will be cheaper to run than this one, with typical fuel consumption around 47mpg, low road tax and a lowish insurance grouping (the interchangeable plastic panels make it cheap to repair in the event of an accident). The scarcity of Smart dealerships could be a snag, but some Mercedes-Benz dealers also service Smarts.
Smarts hold their value well - but then they aren't very expensive to begin with. Used demand is strong and residual values will stay high, especially for the desirable Brabus models. With the discontinuation of production, the Roadster's status as a collectable cult car is assured. Look out too for good-value limited-edition versions, such as the hardcore Light (steel wheels, no stereo).
Standard kit on the Roadster has included power steering, an electric roof and a leather wheel and gearknob. The Roadster-Coupe - essentially the same car but with a glass rear hatch - also includes air conditioning, a centre armrest and glass roof panels as well as the electric canvas top.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Smart Roadster Coupe
wrote on 07 07 2008